[spurxiii]

I have a strange feeling with these cans too. I feel as though I won't look into buying another for a long while.

 

[whirlwind]

  Hd800 gets all my head time. I sold the HD650 because I wasn't using it. 

+1
 
I can not imagine anyone doing a blind test between the HD800 and HD650 and not knowing what can was the HD800

 

[LugBug1]

  Do the HD800s need to burn in? It doesn't sound that bright to my ears so far, everything just sounds so natural and wider in soundstage than anything I've ever heard. Its like a very very clear and smooth sounding HD600 that has no treble roll-off.

Congrats  
 
That is very similar in how I described my first experience with them. I had the K701 and HD600 on hand at the time so I wasn't blown away with the soundstage width (coming from the AKG's) but the depth and imaging was defo a mind blower! I've always said that the HD600 are the next best thing to the HD800. 

 

[zhenya]

Yeah, I can't see mistaking these for anything else. For me, the HD800 is leagues above my 580's. I still think the latter are a fantastic value, supremely comfortable, etc, but they are rather dark and to use the cliche, veiled in comparison to the 800's.

The 800's do two things for me that make me think they will be with me for a long time - they are transparent in a way that nothing else in my collection can compare with, rendering completely bare any changes or problems in my system. Two, the soundstage is immersive in a way I have never experienced with any other gear - the effect being so good that many older recordings not generally listenable on headphones without crossfeed are fine on the 800's. These two elements come together to make for a sound that is so addictive I have a hard time take them off. The first few days I had them the word intensity kept coming to mind. No other listening experience I've ever had short of a few live performances has had this same effect on me.

The earlier Senns are great, but they haven't ever done anything like that for me.

 

[yates7592]

Can anybody recommend a good quality but simple EQ hardware with balanced connections for the HD800? I've been looking at the Art EQ355 which seems to get good reviews but it looks overly complicated for my needs with 31 bands for each channel (and Art 341 which has 15 bands but for both channels). All I really want is to use XLR connectors, and have maybe 10-15 bands with L/R channels linked. Any ideas?

 

[spurxiii]

These cans really really make a meal of bad recordings and the lower bit rate stuff don't they? It's so unforgiveing I'm having to skip quite a few songs while random.
 
Now the real question, a V200 or a tube amp for these?

 

[zilch0md]

  ^  Congratulations.   I'm really looking forward to your later impressions, downstream.  

 

  These cans really really make a meal of bad recordings and the lower bit rate stuff don't they? It's so unforgiveing I'm having to skip quite a few songs while random.
 
Now the real question, a V200 or a tube amp for these?

 
And the hunt begins!   
 
I'm like a guy adrift at sea in a lifeboat, looking for land since December of last year (when I first bought my HD800), and you just swam up and climbed in with me.  
 
Welcome aboard!
 

 

[spurxiii]

   
 
And the hunt begins!   
 
I'm like a guy adrift at sea in a lifeboat, looking for land since December of last year (when I first bought my HD800), and you just swam up and climbed in with me.  
 
Welcome aboard!
 

Lol great analogy and so apt. Thanks for letting me climb aboard, we can search for paradise together 

 
I'm already thinking I have to up my budget

 

 

[zilch0md]

I don't want to influence you any more than I may have already, by telling you what hasn't worked for me - in part because I'm certain my requirements are not typical of most HD800 owners.  
 
I'm trying to push the HD800 in the direction of my LCD-2 rev.1's frequency response, retaining everything else the HD800 offers, without using EQ, all the while avoiding laptops and PCs as my transport - preferring the FiiO X5 coaxial out to a Metrum Octave MkII as my source (until further notice).
 
In other words, I'm still adrift at sea because not just any beach will do.  

 
All that said, we are in the same boat with this observation...
 

 It's so unforgiving I'm having to skip quite a few songs while random.

 
Thus far, maintaining a very select playlist for the HD800 is my best "solution" - as there are several albums out there that are recorded such that the HD800 can really show its stuff.   And a select playlist might just be where I end up - when I get tired of rowing this boat!
 
Mike

 

[Sorrodje]

I lived as you with my selected playlist during a long time. the size of the playlist varied according to dac & amp changes. When the Sonett and Metrum has arrived , I found my promise land and can barely listen to everything except really crappy recordings.  and we know some genre suffer more than other from crappy recordings.
 
I'm currently using the Beresford Caiman MKII instead of the Metrum and fortunately its seems I'm not back in the middle on nowhere , looking after salvation.
 
That been said, I still think HD800 is not the best headphone for everything. With some recordings/Music , it offers stunning listens. with others it's OK but there're maybe better options elsewhere. Fortunately , for what I listen to, the HD800 covers 90 % of my bases (mostly Classical, Modern Jazz and electro) . For example, I had an Ultrasone Edition 12 during September. Very enjoayble headphone with a kind of euphony and fun i've really appreciated a lot. so I thought to buy one when mine wold go to its next owner.  But obviously ,I don't miss it so much since I'm back to the HD800 as my unique headphone . My Brain is used to the Senn After all so , even if it's not perfect when I want to listen Daft Punk, Jamie Cullum or Jamiroquai, I really can fully enjoy my music .
 
But after all, I wouldn"t advice the HD800 for everyone and every tastes.

 

[mcteague]

I must admit I am surprised that so many HD800 owners really don't appear to like them that much. I read tons of stuff before picking up a pair and was nervous about all the bright & sibilant comments. Along with bloated bass, edgy treble really turns me off. Mine are running off a Schiit Asgard 2 amp and I just love them. My music collection is mostly classical and I have always sought out well recorded discs. After a couple of months use, I have not heard ANY sibilance and am only bothered by excess brightness when I know it is on the disc. That is, it still sounds bright through my Linkwitz Orion speakers.
 
OTOH, I don't listen for hours on end so, perhaps, extended sessions may make me want to take them off. Making the rounds before purchase I thought the LCD-2 sounded grainy, the LCD-3s were nice but a bit dark. Fostex TH-900s had really good mids and highs but the bass was too boomy. The HD800s did not seem to stand out in any way but really grow on you. The best way to notice what they are doing is to switch back to my HD580s and then you really appreciate the space and detail. They sure look odd and cost too much, I picked up an open box set for 20% off, but I don't know what would be better. Maybe the Stax SR-009 but they are just too much money!
 
Tim

 

[longbowbbs]

I love mine. Perhaps the rest of us are too busy listening to them to post...

 

[spurxiii]

Sorry I was listening to mine, it still sounds good. Still burning in also

 

[RRod]

The HD800s are the friend you go to when you need a straight answer with no sugar-coating. You come away feeling a bit shaken, but you know it's what you needed to hear. I find that thinking of them as "technical" cans pre-biases me towards dissecting sounds rather than listening to music. Whenever I find myself a bit distracted, then shift back to the music, I'm always floored by how good they sound.
 
What I really like is how versatile they are when hooked up to a PC. Games, movies, the youtubez: it all sounds superb. Positioning in games is ridiculous (especially if it uses something like OpenAL for HRTFs), sounds are almost too realistic (can't tell you how many times a crying baby in this one game made me take off the cans and see if my own child was awake), and every gut punch is satisfyingly thumpy. I'm using them with V200+Überfrost USB and I can't see wanting to change any time soon.

 

[Sorrodje]

We should elaborate a data base of happy owners who live silently and happily for a long time with the HD800 and their dac/amp system .  The HD800 happiness database.

.
 
This would be useful for newcomers